The Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 was released on Wednesday, giving college basketball fans a look at who's on pace to win the national player of the year honor.

The list featured an array of talented players, upperclassmen and underclassmen, while representing 10 conferences. However, there were some omissions, including the projected top pick in the NBA draft in Kansas freshman big man Joel Embiid.

Among the 25 players on the list, Creighton senior Doug McDermott, a two-time All-American, and Oklahoma State sophomore point guard Marcus Smart, appear to be out front. Duke's Jabari Parker and Kentucky's Julius Randle are two freshmen who've shown glimpses of greatness and could make viable cases.

Last season, Indiana's Victor Oladipo was not on the midseason list but was a finalist. With the idea in mind that players not on the list can still earn spots among the 15 finalists (announced March 8) and since most fans love to nitpick, here's a look at five notable snubs from the midseason Wooden Award list.

1. Joel Embiid, Kansas: The freshman 7-footer from Cameroon is averaging 11.1 points and 7.4 rebounds a game, but his court presence trumps anything you'll see on a stat sheet. He's a big reason for the Jayhawks' recent surge and strong Big 12 start. His 13-point, 11-rebound, eight-block performance lifted KU over Oklahoma State. Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg called Embiid "the best player in the country."

2. Gary Harris, Michigan State: The sophomore NBA-ready guard leads the Spartans in scoring with 18.3 points a game. The preseason All-American scored 47 points in Michigan State's past two wins. He's missed three games with injuries and having Adreian Payne and Keith Appling as teammates doesn't help his stat line, but this is a bit ridiculous. Never mind what the box scores say, he's the best player on the Spartans' roster.

3. Nik Stauskas, Michigan: The Wolverines are red-hot right now — off to a 5-0 start in arguably the country's toughest conference. While much of the hype heading into the season surrounded sophomores Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III, the sophomore sharpshooter (18 ppg, 44% from three) has carried Michigan offensively and has shown much more versatility this season after a strong sophomore campaign.

4. Xavier Thames, San Diego State: If New Mexico's Cameron Bairstow is on this list, Thames' name should be as well. Especially considering the Aztecs' grip on the Mountain West Conference. The senior guard is averaging 17 points for a team with one loss and impressive NCAA tournament credentials.

5. Jahii Carson, Arizona State: The 5-10 sophomore guard is lightning quick and a big reason the Sun Devils are positioned to make a run at reaching the NCAA tournament. The NBA-ready floor general is averaging 18.2 points and 4.7 assists a game.

Here's a look at the full list of 25 players (in alphabetical order):

Kyle Anderson, UCLA

Keith Appling, Michigan State

Cameron Bairstow, New Mexico

Jordan Clarkson, Missouri

Aaron Craft, Ohio State

Sam Dekker, Wisconsin

Cleanthony Early, Wichita State

Tyler Ennis, Syracuse

C.J. Fair, Syracuse

Aaron Gordon, Arizona

Rodney Hood, Duke

Nick Johnson, Arizona

DeAndre Kane, Iowa State

Doug McDermott, Creighton

Shabazz Napier, Connecticut

Jabari Parker, Duke

Adreian Payne, Michigan State

Casey Prather, Florida

Julius Randle, Kentucky

Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State

Russ Smith, Louisville

T.J. Warren, North Carolina State

Andrew Wiggins, Kansas

Chaz Williams, Massachusetts

Joseph Young, Oregon

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Scott Gleeson, a national college basketball writer/digital producer for USA TODAY Sports, is on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.

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USA TODAY Sports' Nicole Auerbach, Scott Gleeson and Eric Prisbell rank the top players in the country based on overall team value and the season as a whole. Rankings are not based on NBA draft stock and alter each week based on most recent performances.
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9. Nik Stauskas, Michigan: The sophomore sharpshooter is one of the main reasons for the Wolverines' Big Ten Conference regular season title. He's averaging more than 17 points a game and shooting a blistering 46% from long range.
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6. Andrew Wiggins, Kansas: The country's No. 1 recruit has been a key catalyst for the Jayhawks all season and finally starting to blossom into a superstar. Had 29 points vs. Iowa State after a 27-point night against TCU.
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5. Shabazz Napier, UConn: The senior explosive guard can score at will and he's arguably the clutchest player, evidenced by a buzzer-beating score to lift UConn over Florida. Had 17 points and 10 assists in an AAC victory at Memphis and 30 vs. Louisville. Averages close to 18 ppg, 6 rpg and 5 apg.
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2. Jabari Parker, Duke: The 6-8 freshman forward can play five positions and has spearheaded Duke, averaging more than 18 points and 9 rebounds a game. Among a decorated freshman class, Parker has emerged as the best.
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1. Doug McDermott, Creighton: The senior forward is playing like the two-time All-American he is. The nation's second-leading scorer has more than 30 points seven times this season, most recently in a 39-point effort vs. St. John's.
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